Mary Haywood-Spells

Mary Lou Haywood-Spells passed away peacefully in her Albuquerque home Sept 26, 2025 at the age of 85. Mary Lou grew up in Dodge City, Kansas with her incredible parents Donald and Burnice Shelly who are both deceased. Once she graduated high school she married her first husband Gerald Haywood and they had their only daughter Shelley. They moved to Minnesota where Mary Lou taught English at an inner city high school. Then the family moved to California for a time but when her first husband passed she and her daughter went back home to Dodge City. This is where her doctor told her "get the hell out Dodge" then she received a call from a dear friend to come to Albuquerque. She came here and started organizing protests before she even graduated from UNM and this is when she would strengthen the community. Mary Lou worked many jobs, one of her favorites being a secretary for the NAACP, but she found her calling in Politics and Public Service. In one of her greatest achievements she put together the Neighborhood Association. In this time she also met her future husband James Spells who she would stay with until his passing last year and will be laid to rest with, at Santa Fe National Cemetery.

Mary Lou had a passion for fashion and shopping in her spare time. As well as a love for music and dancing. You could find her nose deep in a book anytime. Her and James loved to go on adventures together, driving into the woods and getting stuck in the rain. Once the grandchildren came she dived deep into the world of being grandma. If you looked around her home a few things were clear: the things that made her happy were The Wizard of Oz, unicorns, sunflowers, sloths, colors, and more than anything her family.

Mary Lou is survived by her daughter, Shelley, stepchildren Regina and Anthony, grandchildren (by age) Ariana, Miguel, Jerad, Danielle, Mina, great grandchild Porter and her dog Bucky. As well as family from her first marriage who never let her go and welcomed James with open arms, friends who made her the woman she was, and the teenagers she rescued off the street.

There will be no formal services held, Please just have a dance in honor of her.